


Emperor and Hermit

by lrz_xx



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Futaba as art model, Gen, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Acceptance, Yusuke as artis, seeing yourself trought other's eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-25 20:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14386218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lrz_xx/pseuds/lrz_xx
Summary: Yusuke has became regular at Leblanc and as Futaba has nothing better to do they end up talking which leads them to art project which aside of making their bond grow stronger makes them both to understand thing about themselves that they wouldn't have realized otherwise.





	1. Chapter 1

Yusuke had been common visitor at Leblanc for months but after Ren started dating Makoto he had stayed downstairs more than upstairs. Futaba had often seen Yusuke and Ren going on and on watching movies or reading books together. On those days Yusuke had stayed downstairs only until Ren woke up so seeing him now sitting there just reading and sketching other customers felt odd as if he was there waiting for Ren without realizing that he had better things to do.

Futaba sighed. She felt a bit lost herself too. Ren had become like a big brother to her and she had got used to relying on him. Maybe even a bit too much. Because of that she somehow saw Yusuke as kindred spirit even if they usually ended up quarreling when they talked to each other. They just were too far away from each other.

“He looks lonely”, Sojiro said behind her.

“Uhhuh”, Futaba said a bit startled as she hadn’t noticed that she had been observed.

“There isn’t many customers so feel free to join him.”

“Mhmhmh…”

“Futaba, I thought you had got over that period already”, Sojiro said gently, “Besides he is your friend too.”

Friend, that word felt freezing and burning at the same time. Futaba had spent time with Ren and other phantom thieves for a good while already. But that was it and Ren had always been there to support her.

Sojiro handed her warm cup of coffee and guided her on Yusuke’s direction. Futaba sighed and thought this could lead only to catastrophe.

“Here you go Inari. One fresh cup of coffee to inspire your artistic senses”, Futaba said trying to capture confident and smile to her voice but ended up sounding just snarky.

“Ah, Futaba-chan, you are here too?” Yusuke said surprised and Futaba was sure that his surprise was genuine. He simply had’t noticed her before even if she had been there as long as he.

“Yup, it’s me. Sojiro thought you needed cheering up.”

“How thoughtfull of him. I’ll be eternally grateful for his kindness.”

“I think Ren won’t have time for you today either. He and Makoto are having a meeting upstairs and those usually last for pretty long time.”

“Ah, yes, they are carefull on their planning for the new strategies”, said Yusuke nodding calmly. Futaba sighed. She knew that Yusuke was really as oblivious as he seemed to be.

“So, what’s your plan of the day?” Yusuke asked directing his gaze on Futaba.

“No plans.”

“Mmmm… sounds good as I just got a vision of piece of art that needs you as my inspirational spirit.”

“I wish it’s nothing too creepy”, Futaba snaps, “But I’m listening.”

“I have for a quite long time now had a vision of you in a swimsuit floating in a sea of stars.”

“I said: no creepy stuff, please.”

“It’s not creepy. It’s atmospheric.”

“And that’s your way to say you want to create swimsuit porn portrait of me.”

“Futaba, I’m artist. When I think you in a swimsuit I don’t see you as a fleshy being but as a spiritual form of art. Combination of shapes and colors that just happen to gather together forming your body.”

They fell silent. Deep inside Futaba knew that Yusuke was telling the truth. He didn’t see this world the way people usually did. He said flirty things withou flirting and suggested things that as said by some one else, like Ryuji or even Ren, could have been suggestive even a bit scary were just thoughts popped in his head and were literally just what he said they were.

“Ok, but I don’t want to pose for you in any public place.”

“Wha… you really agree to this?”

“It could be interesting and I’m damn bored. Don’t get any weird thoughts in your head. If you try something I will make sure your life will be total pain the rest of your life.”

Yusuke rose up and bowed to her.

“I will be eternally in dept to you for your kindness”, he said still on bowed position.

“Inari, just get up before I change my mind.”

“It would be perfect if I could paint you in planetarium”, Yusuke said straigtening himself, “But it could be impossible to get all the people leave so that we could work in peace for hours and you standing there in swimsuit could distract other visitors too much.”

“Inari, I said: no public places.”

“Ah, true. My thought just got way ahead of myself”, Yusuke said looking a bit puzzled, “Futaba-chan, I think you have star wallscroll in your room?”

“…yes”

“We could use that and then it will be safe to you. I’ll just go and get my things.”

Futaba had to guess the end of his sentence as Yusuke had already rushed outdoors and was nowhere to be seen. Futaba stared full cup of coffee in front of her wondering if she had made a big mistake. At first she thought about asking Sojiro to join this strange art session but abandoned the idea as it would feel even more akward to explain Sojiro what was going on let alone have two persons staring her in swimsuit instead of just one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Yusuke said at the beach that he would like to paint Futaba in swinsuit this story was impossible to become unwritten in my mind. At the same time I decided to format this as a confidant story between Futaba and Yusuke, hence the ten chapters.
> 
> This was originally my first P5 fan fic I started a while ago but it was originally meant to be graphic story which would be heavily dependent of planned illustration, however, AO3 doesn't support that kind of format very well so I had to drop the idea and at the same time this story was just hanging around in my files until just recently I decided to rewrite and finish this.


	2. Chapter 2

Futaba stared herself on the mirror. She had changed into swimsuit and thought it looked ridiculous. Somehow wearing that thing inside felt unnatural even if on beach it had been ok when she got used to it. Futaba sighed and moved standing in front of starry wallscroll.

“I’m certainly not going to take any sexy pose for this”, she mutters.

“Are you there Futaba?” Yusuke calls outside knocking the door at the same time.

“Hrrrmh…”

“Futaba, are you ok?”

“No, I’m certainly not”, Futaba mutters on herself and walks to the door pulling it open with more force than she had anticipated making her to misstep and fall on the floor.

Yusuke pushes himself inside without noticing Futaba as he is carrying huge canvas in front of himself. Futaba jumps up happy to avoid his gaze and closes the door behind him. Yusuke has already started to set up his art equipments and looks definitely happy. Futaba sighes again and glances around her room. Everything is as it should except that everything in front of starry wallcroll has been heaped on her bed as she didn’t have time to properly reorganize her room for this art experiment.

“Are you ready?” Yusuke says turning towards Futaba.

“As ready as I can get”, Futaba says and adds mumbling, “ which means not at all ready.”

Futaba walks in front of starry wallscroll and stares Yusuke arms crossed under her chest. Yusuke looks a bit perplexed but nods to her and starts to work on his artwork. Futaba is relieved that he didn’t tell her to take any pose. Time passes and slowly muscles in Futaba's body start to relax. It feels surprisingly easy to stand in front of Yusuke. She observes Yusuke’s gaze and it feels as if for a first time during their aquintance he would really see her as if they were in the same world now.

“And maybe that is exactly how it is”, Futaba thinks, “as an art inspiration I have became part of his world.”

Futaba could feel Yusuke's gaze on her but it was not the gaze she had been expecting. It didn't feel like evaluation the way boys gazes on her usually felt. Yusuke just saw her, received that perception and accepted it as it was. And that made Futaba feel surprisingly happy.

“It’s finished”, Yusuke says almost as a whisper.

“Already?” Futaba says surprised as she had thought that she would be standing there for hours. Without thinking she glances to her alarm clock and realizes that she has indeed been standing there for hours.

“Do you want to see it?” Yusuke asks a bit hesitantly. Futaba is not sure if the hesitation is caused by him not wanting her to see his work or by fear that she didn’t want to see it. Futaba nods and Yusuke's eyes spark with joy and he turns the painting around with a dramatic ta-dah.

The painting was portrait of Futaba and at the same time it wasn’t. In the middle was beautiful lady with a soft but a bit sad smile hugging herself. She was wearing swimsuit but it didn’t look as much as a swimsuit but more like a clothes created out of seaweed, seashells and other sea things Futaba couldn’t recognize and then Futaba realized that actually this lady didn’t have legs but a long shiny mermaid tail which vanished in to sea of stars that was swirling around her looking like a sky and ocean at the same time.

“It’s beautiful”, Futaba whispered in awe. Yusuke nodded and hummed in satisfaction, “It’s the best work I have painted in a while. Thanks to you.”

“I could have never imagined you could create something like that out of a person like me.”

“It just shows how little you see of yourself”, Yusuke says sounding a bit sad, “and that is why art exists. To help people to see themselves and the world the way that would otherwise be impossible.”

“But isn’t that more like seeing the world the way you see it?”

“No, not really”, Yusuke says and then changes his voice to lecturing one, “Harold Speed who has written a lot about the essence of art have said: ‘And hence it is that the love of truth and the love of beauty can exist together in the work of the artist. The search for this inner truth is the search for beauty. People whose vision does not penetrate beyond the narrow limits of the commonplace, and to whom a cabbage is but a vulgar vegetable, are surprised if they see a beautiful picture painted of one, and say that the artist has idealised it, meaning that he has consciously altered its appearance on some idealistic formula; whereas he has probably only honestly given expression to a truer, deeper vision than they had been aware of. The commonplace is not the true, but only the shallow, view of things’, and that is how I think of it too.”

Futaba nodded, she could see the point but wasn’t sure if she agreed with it. Still somehow as she was looking her portrait she was seeing herself in it the way she coukd have never before. 

“Futaba-chan, this may now seem a bit akward but I have another request for you”, Yusuke says a bit hesitantly.

“Hmm..?”

“Could you model for me for yet another portrait?”

“Yes, why not”, Futaba answers her eyes still on the painting in front of them

“Really?!” Yusuke says sounding surprised.

“Why did you ask if you thought it was not possible?” Futaba snapped looking Yusuke directy in the eyes.

“Yes, you have a point. I apologize”, Yusuke says bowing, “Is tomorrow ok? I have to buy some things for the next piece.”

“Sounds good for me. I have nothing to do anyway.”

“Is it ok if I leave this painting here to dry? You won’t touch it while it’s still wet?”

“I’m not that stupid!” Futaba snaps agrily but adds then in a lot gentler tone, “I would love to have this painting here for a little while longer.”

“That’s settled then! See you tomorrow”, Yusuke says, bows and disappears. Futaba stares after him a bit startled but then shrungs her shoulders. After all that was just like Yusuke to rush out in the name of art.


	3. Chapter 3

Futaba stares the door of Leblanc wondering what today’s art session will be about. She isn’t sure why she had agreed to this. It wasn’t like her at all to expose herself to observing audience and she knew that the art pieces Yusuke was creating would end up into exhibition of some kind. But somehow she just felt that some locked up part of herself was freed trought Yusuke’s artwork and somehow she didn’t mind if she had to share that with others. After all they could never see anything else than just the surface of those artworks.

Door of Leblanc is smashed open by Yusuke’s enthuasims as he rushes in with his canvas. Sojiro stares Yusuke with annoyance but decides not to comment the scene he had created as he could see how Futaba’s eyes sparkled after seeing Yusuke with his canvas. Sojiro was not sure what those two were up to but he was happy to see Futaba spending more time with other people so as long as she was happy it should be fine.

“Are you ready or do we need to wait until cafe closes?” Yusuke says glancing between Futaba and Sojiro.

“There isn’t many customers anyway so I won’t need you here today”, Sojiro says to Futaba and Futaba jumps over the counter and pushes Yusuke out.

“I wish this really is a good thing and not a prelude for a catastrophe”, Sojiro sighs and decides to brew himself a cup of coffee.

* * *

“So what’s today’s plan?” Futaba asks when they have got out of Leblanc.

“I bought you a dress I want to paint you in.”

“You did what?”

“Bought you a dress. I have thought about this for sometime and it will be just perfect.”

Futaba stares Yusuke puzzled but decides it’s better not to ask and just wait and see what is coming. She could cancel the whole thing anyway if it was something too strange. When they get to Sojiro’s house Yusuke drops his bag on the hallway and carefully reclines the canvas near the wall. Then Yusuke takes his bag again and pulls out a glimmering dress that looks like bunch of veils cobbled together.

“That’s what you want me to wear?” Futaba says startled. She can’t avoid the memory of herself as pharaoh inside her distorted heart not too long time ago.

“Yes! Isn’t it marvelous?”, Yusuke gasps swirling the dress aroud in his hands, “When I saw it I just knew it was meant for you.”

“That’s nice. You usually do clothes shopping for girls?” Futaba snaps but regrets that immediately. She just felt how her previous confidence is slowly sliding away.

“Ah, well. I thought you would like it”, Yusukes says hesitantly.

“Nah, not my style”, Futaba says, “But if that’s what you want I will try it but just for this artwork. Don’t start fantasising me wearing this everyday you creep.”

Yusuke laughts a bit confused but hands the dress over to Futuba and she moves to her room to fit it on. Yusuke isn’t really sure what just happened but it seemed to be ok in the end so maybe he didn’t need to undestand.

After a while Futaba pops her head out from her room looking a bit stiff but tells Yusuke to come in so that they can start. Everything in Futaba’s room is like yesterday. Yusuke glances around and for his relief sees that yesterday’s painting seems unharmed and perfectly in sound. He sets up his canvas and turns to look at Futaba who is again standing in front of the star wallscroll. She looks sad and insecure and for a moment Yusuke wonders if he should cancel everything but then he looks Futaba in the eyes and in them sees the burning determination telling him to start to work.

“This is a challenge, just a challenge”, Futaba mutters to herself as she feels the cold touch of this strange dress on her skin, “It will be allright, this is just a challenge, a test…”

Futaba feels how tears start to roll over her cheeks. She bites her lip and tries to force her tears backwards but they just keep rolling. It feels as if she was again imprisoned inside her palace. She can feel the pain of losing her mother and the self-guilt she had after that. But at the same time she can feel how that pain has lost its edge and became more like an aching scar. Reminder of the past that was but at the same time reminder of the pain that she had gone trought and got over. And even if there still is pain and tears left those are more of tears of yearning to be back with her mother and their life together that tears of pain and guilt they had been while she still had her palace.

“My heart has changed”, Futaba thinks and feels somehow relieved as if she hadn’t properly realized that until then. And slowly she feels how tears stop coming and she can feel warmth growing in her heart.

“It’s finished”, Yusuke says but his voice sounds a lot more hesitant than yesterday.

Futaba wipes her tears away and smiles to Yusuke. Yusuke looks puzzled and relieved at the same time. Futaba jumps next to him beside the canvas and for a moment Yusuke looks like he is going to pull the canvas away to protect it but in the end leaves it as it was.

“Well… that’s impressive”, Futaba says staring the new portrait eyes wide of surprise.

In the painting there is a character surrounded by veils that partly show starlight trought them. The character’s face is partly in shadows but you can see glimmering tears in her eyes but at the same time there is gentle smile and her posture is proud and confident but at the same time it feels as if she could chatter in pieces at any moment.

“I’m speechless”, Futaba says in awe but at the same time she thinks that the portrait is kind of like all of her confused thought combined into one image.

“For a moment there I was really worried of you but I thought you would have said if you wanted to quit and somehow you seemed to be deep in your thoughts”, Yusuke says carefully.

“Yeah, I guess so”, Futaba says still staring the painting.

“Futaba-chan, could you model for me once more? For the final piece of series?”

“Hmh, maybe what’s the catch in this one?”

“Well I want to paint it at beach during the sunset.”

“No way.”

“But…”

“No buts, I won’t model for you in public places. But if you want to sketch me there it’s ok as long as I don’t need to dress up as some character and I can be just myself.”

“Well that’s not ideal but if that’s your condition I’ll go with it.”

Futaba stares Yusuke a bit surprised but then smiles happily and walks away humming. Yusuke stares after her surprised as he wasn’t excpecting Futaba to leave him alone in her room. And Futaba had walked out wearing the clothes Yusuke had bought for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Futaba stares to the ocean hair swirling in the wind. She haven’t yet noticed Yusuke and he can’t walk closer being afraid of breaking the tranquil moment surrounding her. Futaba’s hair blends perfectly with the colors of sunset and ocean dyed to the hues of orange and yellow of the setting sun. He had definitely selected the perfect spot for the last portrait.

“This will be the masterpiece. The best of the all three portraits”, Yusuke mumbles by himself.

Futaba seems to finally sense his presence and turns around.

“Hey Inari, what’s keeping you there? We agreed at sunset and it’s fast vanishing down the horizon.”

Yusuke laughts and walks to Futaba. She seems more relaxed than usual but it may be just because there isn’t many people at the beach despite the good weather.

“You know, this was the first place were we spent time together as Phantom thieves after my palace was gone.”

“Yes, that really brings back memories.”

“You really chose a good spot for your portrait. I guess the color palet of sky, ocean and my hair are almost the perfect match.”

“You noticed something like that?”

“Of course”, Futaba sights and turns to Yusuke, “Scientifically speaking the color palet is pretty much perfect combination of different hues that are close enough each other aside with the certain amount of blue hues on sky and ocean that is complementary colour of orange and statistically blue and orange is one of the most commonly used color combination in movie posters.”

Yusuke stares Futaba surprised and says: “Wow, you seem to know a lot of colours besides being a nerdy hacker and all.”

“Geez, Inari that’s exactly why I know all that stuff”, Futaba says annoyd, “And what are you calling me nerdy hacker as you are some eccentric artist bloke.”

“Well, you may be right with that”, Yusuke chucles amuzed. Futaba stares at him atonished as she hadn’t meant that as a compliment but that seems how Yusuke took it.

“It seems that our minds are closer to each other than I ever thought”, Yusuke says nodding his head thoughtfully, “But maybe that makes sense in its own strange way.”

“I thought you artists think science to be enemy of art.”

“Some artists do. I think art and sciece are complementary for each other.”

“That’s an interesting thought.”

“Yes, but because of that you could see exactly the same thing I had seen. You trought your vision of science I trought my vision of art.”

They both fall into silence staring at the setting sun floating above the ocean. Futaba hadn’t ever thought that it would be possible to have this kind of coversation with Yusuke. She had always thought them to be too far apart from each other but in the end it had been totally opposite. Sometimes it seemed that Yusuke was able to break the barrier around her without even realizing it and even if they usually ended up quarreling in the end they learned to undestand each other. Maybe that really was as Yusuke had said: as representatives of science and art they were complementary for each other.

“Oh, it’s getting late! I have to get back home otherwise Sojiro will get worried”, Futaba says wawes her hand and walks away.

Yusuke stares after her and has a feeling that he forgot something important. It had been nice to talk with Futaba and Yusuke had to admit that he admired her ability to see things clearly and put those things into words when she wanted to. Even if at times she was a total mess, she was still able to observe things unnnoticed to many others.

“Oh crap, the sketches”, Yusuke realizes and stares the empty sketch book in his hands. It’s getting dark and as Yusuke glances towards the direction where Futaba had gone he can’t see her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who haven't heard about orange-blue contrast before: http://www.slashfilm.com/orangeblue-contrast-in-movie-posters/


	5. Chapter 5

Yusuke walks back home dazed. He had totally forgotten the main point of going to beach with Futaba.

“How could this happen?” He mumbled by himself. He had never, ever, forgotten anything related to art. Art was his purpose in life.

“This is unbelievable! I’m a wreched! I’m doooomed!” he shouts to the sky without noticing how people around him switch the side of the street leaving his side oddly desolate.

After getting lost a couple of times Yusuke finally arrives back to the dorms. He is exhausted and terrified at the same time. What he should do now and moreover how he could explain this all to Futaba? It must have demanded a lot from her to participate in this project. And there was simply no option for failure in Yusuke’s mind. He wanted this project to succeed no matter what.

“If I don’t have the real sketches I just have to invent everthing by myself”, Yusuke mumbles picking up all his art equipments and set ups his canvas in the middle of his room, “It will be ok. I can do this. I have painted Futaba-chan two times earlier so I can capture my vision for this thrid piece without a reference. It will be perfect.”

Yusuke picks his brushes and starts to mix colors as he always does, selects the brush and paints first lines on the canvas. And it all feels wrong. Yusuke takes deep breath and picks up another brush. He decides to use softer strokes this time but even before he starts to paint again he has a feeling that something is a miss.

“What’s wrong with me? I have done this so many times.”

Yet another brush, new strokes, new paint, more strokes, change of brush and still everything on the canvas looks just distorted. Yusuke stares the catatrophic work in front of him trying to figure out what to do.

“Maybe it needs some airbrushing?”

Yusuke never uses airbrushes but his roommates does and he knows that neither one of them is at home this night. He sneaks into the room next to his, luckily this old flat had locks only on the door leading out of the flat and not in the students’ rooms’ itself. Yusuke picks up his roommate’s airbrushing equipmnt efficiently ignoring the nagging voice telling him that his roommate had especially forbid anyone to touch his art equipment while he was not at home.

Back at his own room Yusuke starts to work feverishly. He had to make this painting something special. It should be perfect. It should be something that would stay in viewers mind long after seeing it.

Yusuke wakes up on angry shouts outside his room. He doesn’t remember going to bed but soon he realizes that he is nowhere close to his bed. Shouts outside his door grow angrier and suddenly some one strarts banging his door.

“What’s wrong?” Yusuke asks at the same time as he opens the door.

His roommate stands on the other side of the door glaring him with blazing anger.

“It was you!” his roommate screams at his face, “I knew it! You always act so high and mighty as if you were better than rest of us. As if you were closer to the true art than anyone else! And you go around acting like my work is garbage and that my tools are garbage as they aren’t traditional enough for your mighty self but immdiately when I leave you alone for even a one evening you sneak into my room an steal my equipment! S-T-E-A-L you hear me!”

“I have stolen nothing”, Yusuke says calmly, “I just got artist block and couldn’t finish my work so I decided to test your things…”

“And you just sneaked to my room and took them without even thinking that could be wrong! You are the worst!”

Yusuke’s roommate storms into Yusuke’s room. Collects all his things and kicks Yusuke’s canvas on the floor on the way. Yusuke tries to think it was an accident but he has a strong feeling that it wasn’t.

“Do you have anything to say?” Yusuke’s roommate says staring at him from the door.

Yusuke shrugs his shoulders. His roommate glares at him and shouts: “Fine! You mighty ass. Totally unable for even a simples apology!”

His roommate smashes the door closed leaving confused and a bit annoyed Yusuke standing alone in the middle of his room. He had never understood his roommates let alone their art but he had a nagging feeling that maybe he should have apologized. Yusuke sighs and picks up his canvas trying to figure out the bizarre artwork he had created last night. He had decided that it was a masterpiece and the best work in his series so he simply left no space for any selfcritic. Besides he was exhaustively tired.


	6. Chapter 6

“May I ask you what you and Kitagawa-kun have been doing these past two days?” Sojiro asks while preparing to open Leblanc.

“I’m just modeling for his artwork”, Futaba says shrugging her shoulders.

“Modeling? You?”

“Well, at first it felt really strange but somehow it turned out ok”, Futaba says thoughtfully, “I guess Yusuke-kun is just too immersed in his own work that he gives me space to breath, think and feel by myself.”

“So you mean you like modeling?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really know what I’m thinking about this thing but when I saw that first painting it just felt as if I had seen, I mean truly seen, myself for the first time.”

“You mean the likeness was perfect?”

“No, it wasn’t like that. It was some kind of mermaid queen so it wasn’t really me but somehow at the same time it was. Yusuke said it had something to do with seeing yourself properly. Without distortions.”

“Seeing yourself trought some one else’s eyes?”

“Hmm… maybe. But more like seeing yourself trought your own inner self.”

They both fall silent and can only hear the ticking sound of the clock. Sojiro observes Futaba's thoughtfull face and something has changed. He can’t really point out what it actually is but something in the way how Futaba carried herself had changed.

“It seems that this project has been good for you.”

“What do you mean?” Futaba says staring Sojiro puzzled.

“I don’t really know what it exactly is but there is something new in you. Something that I haven’t seen before but it feels something good”, Sojiro says not sure even himself what he is saying.

“Hmmh”, Futaba nods and turns towards the windows, “I always thought that Ren was the only person with whom I can feel at ease. I mean Ren and you of course, but I’m now mainly thinking about people of my own age. But during these two days I have felt better than for a long time and it is partly because the time we had spent together with Yusuke-kun.”

“Maybe you are soulmates?”

“What?! No, no, no, I think it’s something different…” Futaba says her words turning into mumbble and Sojiro can’t figure out all of her word.

“Futaba, I can’t really undestand what you are saying”, Sojiro says gently.

“Nevermind, it was nothing important”, Futaba says silently still staring out of the window, “Anycase, I don’t think we are soulmates. More like two oddballs that happen to roll to the same direction.”

Sojiro smiles to Futaba’s description but decides to stay silent. He is happy that Futaba had found more close friends. He had been worried that Ren’s and Makoto’s dating had affected Futaba’s life more than what she let show out. Ren had became so important to her. Maybe even bit too important in Sojiro’s opinion as sometimes the difference between being close friends and being co-dependent is slight.

Even if Futaba was staring out of the window she didn’t really see what was outside the window as she was observing things inside her more than things outside her. This whole art project had been really strange for her and now, when Sojiro had pointed out some visible change in her, Futaba had to admit that this project had affected her more than she had ever imagined. At first she had thought that it was good thing but somehow she also felt that it had made her more vulnerable and she wasn’t sure if that was something she wanted. It felt like somehow Yusuke’s artwork had taken something away from her and replaced it with something new.

“No wonder that in past people were afraid of photographs…”, she mumbles by herself, “Pictures stealing peoples’ souls is maybe not as far fetched idea as some people may think.”

“What did you say?” Soijiro asked turning towards Futaba.

“Ah, nothing, just thinking aloud.”

“You sure, you don’t want to talk about it?”

“Hrmhmm”, Futaba feels hesitant to share her thoughts even with Sojiro but in the end she decides to summarize some of her feelings and thoughts.

“I see”, Sojiro says thoughtfully and stares outside the window, “Futaba, I think that I understand what you mean but at the same time I can see that you have let your fears to partially obscure your thoughts. When you say that Kitagawa-kun’s artwork is stealing your soul or parts of you, you are actually just saying that it is showing sides of you that you haven’t realized to be visible for other people. And that is not really stealing or taking and replacing it’s just showing you things you already know but haven’t counsciously understood or have rejected altogether. That is why seeing yourself the way other people see you is so confusing and sometimes scary experience. And because of that we usually want to wear masks to hide what we are and show only our masks to other people so that when they describe us they will describe things we have built for their eyes and not te things that really are inside us or more spesifically what are the essence of being ourselves… not sure if I can explain this very well as I myself have been hiding for so long. Or more bluntly: being coward for so long.”

Futaba doesn’t look at Sojiro but silently stares the window so Sojiro isn’t sure if she was listening or not. But after a while Futaba nods and smiles slightly to Sojiro. She doesn’t say anything but she looks more relaxed than a while ago.


	7. Chapter 7

Futaba observes Yusuke who is hesitantly approaching the door of Leblanc. He is carrying big canvas covered with some protective fabric. Something seems to be wrong even if it’s obvious that Yusuke has finished his work with the last piece of the series. Futaba is curious to see it but Yusuke’s peculiar behaviour makes her nervous.

“Hello to both of you”, Yusuke says nodding his head while pushing himself inside with his artwork.

“So you finished it? I’m curious to see how it turned out”, Futaba says curiously but can’t hide her rising nervousness in her voice.

Yusuke looks at Futaba and then pulls of the cover and turns the painting towards Futaba. Futaba stares the orange-yellow-bluish mess in confusion. She can see that there is a young woman with blazing wings sun burning behind her. In someway it feels interesting but Futaba can’t see herself in it. There is just this superhero like figure with organge hair that has nothing to do with her.

“Is that supposed to be me?” Futaba says staring Yusuke confused.

“Of course it is! Isn’t it marvelous! This is the crown of my series”, Yusuke says trying to look proud but Futaba can see hesitation written all over his face and body.

“That’s garbage”, Futaba snaps. Futaba can feel how the tears of dissapointment are burning in her eyes but she forces them away, “Honestly, what have you been thinking while painting this… this ridiculous thing?”

“I… I… how could you say something like that?” Yusuke says staring Futaba surprised.

“Honestly Inari, this thing you have brought here has nothing to do with those previous works and it definitely has nothing to do with me.”

“But isn’t it special and magical? Somethign setting it apart from all of my artwork.

“Well yeah, it obviously is all about you but if you wanted to paint your inner fantasies you didn’t need me for that. I hate that painting.”

“Now, now, Futaba he was just trying to do his best… “ Sojiro says trying to calm them both down.

“No he didn’t!” Futaba snaps glaring Sojiro, “You didn’t see the other works. Those were something special and now he brighs this thing here and mightily calls it the crown of his series but that thing has nothing to do with the series. I don’t want to have anything to do with this thing anymore!”

Futaba storms out of Leblanc leaving Yusuke and Sojiro staring after her. Sojiro looks atYusuke whose face has turned totally blank. Sojiro feels how all his good mood is grumbling down and how something that was built between Futaba and Yusuke has collapsed in an instant.

“Well”, Sojiro says clearing his throat, “Luckily there wasn’t any customers to see that scene.”

“Ah, yes, my apologies”, Yusuke says bowing to Sojiro but looking awfully tense.

“Kitagawa-kun, do you understand what just happened?”

“Futaba-chan hated my work, the piece I spent the whole last night working with. The masterpiece where I pictured my whole heart…”

“And you honestly think that way? That this was your masterpiece?” Sojiro asks while brewing some coffee for them at the same time.

Yusuke falls silent. He stares at the painting. It was flashy and genuinely different than anything he had ever painted. It was special, but it was also empty. It didn’t have any emotion in it it was just flashy piece full of special effects.

“I worked so hard with it”, Yusuke says stubbornly.

“Yes, but sometimes working hard is not the main thing”, Soijiro says sharply, “Based on what Futaba has told me this art project wasn’t only yours. It was also hers. It was bond you two built between you two. But in this artwork, that bond was broken. You got so immersed into yourself that you forgot Futaba.”

“You are right”, Yusuke says silently, “As an artist I should be depicting the truth, the true essence of everything and every one. And that is what I forgot. I forgot what it really means to be an artist.”

They both fall silent. Sojiro pours coffee to two cups and pushes one of them towards Yusuke. Yusuke takes it without thinking and takes a sip of coffee. He can feel the bitterness and warmth filling his mouth and slowly spreading into his body. He stares at his artwork and for the first time sees it without the distortion of his want to make it a masterpiece of this series. He had to admit that Futaba had been right. It was garbage.

“What should I do?” Yusuke says to himself.

“You still have time don’t you? You can make another piece”, Soijiro says while sipping his coffee.

“You are right. I have a place in small exhibition with other students but there is still a couple of days left to finish everything before I have to take my works there.”

“I don’t know what the other pieces were like but the way they affected Futaba I assume they were something really special. Something totally different to this piece here.”

“Yes, they were different”, Yusuke says mulling the coffee around his mouth, “Ah, that’s it! The coffee!”

Yusuke turns towards Sojiro eyes sparking in enthusiasm. Sojiro stares him confused but listens carfully to Yusuke’s rampage of his new idea for the new art piece. Soijiro nods turns towards his coffee bean collection and carefully selects some of them. He wraps the beans into napkin and hands it to Yusuke. Yusuke bows to him multiple times and rushes out.

“The enthusiasm of the youth”, Sojiro mumbles shaking his head and then turns towards the artwork Yusuke had left behind, “Well, have to find out what to do with this one.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was edited by Fumei. Thanks to her quality is better in this, and the future chapters, than on the old ones.

Futaba had locked herself in her room. She didn’t want to see anyone. She was disappointed and hurt, but she couldn’t really explain why, even to herself.

“It’s all Inari’s fault.” She mumbles and continues playing random games on her computer. She wanted to empty her mind of everything, and playing random games did the trick for her. Futaba’s phone buzzes on the table. She glances at the screen and sees “Inari” flashing on the screen. The buzzing stops and the text “20 unanswered calls and 30 unread messages” appears on the screen. Futaba shrugs her shoulders and continues playing. Stupid Inari, why did he have to paint that ridiculous painting? Everything was going so well between them, but of course that silly bloke had to spoil everything.

Futaba wasn’t really mad at Yusuke, more like disappointed. She had started to trust him and that last painting felt like a betrayal. But at the same time she was annoyed at herself. She couldn’t understand why she had became so hooked with some stupid art project. She could feel the tears rolling over her cheeks.

* * *

 

Yusuke stared his phone, tired. He had tried to call and message Futaba so many times without any kind of answer. He was pretty sure that Futaba was not going to answer. Yusuke sighs and throws his phone to the other end of his bed. It’s time to switch to the plan B, Yusuke decides, staring the empty canvas and the coffee beans, he had separated into different cups.

He goes to the kitchen to brew the coffees, but his roommate is already there. They haven’t talked to each other after the airbrush borrowing, (or stealing, depending on which one of them you ask,) incident. Yusuke stands next to his roommate wondering how he should enunciate his suggestion. He knew that without Futaba, he would need his roommates help. He had originally planned on contacting Ren, but Ren had been busy with something else and Yusuke didn’t want any of the other Phantom Thieves to mess up his room, no matter how much he liked them as teammates. So the only option left was his roommate who happened to be at home and who had a certain amount of artistic understanding, even if Yusuke has never understood his work.

“I’m sorry about that airbrush thing”, Yusuke says without looking at his roommate.

“Oh, so now you are sorry. So what’s the catch here, your lordship?”

“Well, now that you've asked… I need help with an art project.”

“You are asking for help? From me? How kind of you”, he says sarcastically, “unfortunately I’m too busy today.”

“I thought you were going to stay at home today, so I thought you could help me a bit. It’s for my friend, and she will be mad at me forever if I don’t fix this thing!” Yusuke almost shouts at his roommate.

“Calm down… If it's so important, I may help you a bit; but don’t think that you are forgiven.”

“Thank you”, Yusuke bows, “Oh, hmm, by the way, what was your name again?”

“You, you…!” Yusuke’s roommate glares at him, and is about to march away, but Yusuke grabs his arm.

“I’m sorry. Don’t misunderstand me, I just have bad name memory. Sometimes my brain is like it's full of holes!”

“That would explain a lot”, His roommate snaps and pulls his arm free, “Ok, even if I pretty much dislike everything about you and everything you do, I’ll help you. It might be useful to have you indebted to me. My name is Ishikawa Nobuyuki. Don’t you forget that!”

“So Nobuyuki-kun…”

“Ishikawa-san to you!”

“Erhm… Ishikawa-san. We need to dye a couple of veils with this coffee, and you have to help me hang them around my room, as layered veils. Then you take one of them, and veil yourself with it and I paint you as I would paint my friend… Even if I need a lot of imagination to be able to replace your face with hers.”

“Wait... You mean that you want me to model for you?”

“No, you are just substitute for my real model.”

“That’s even worse.”

“You already promised so we should start now.”

“And there goes his lordship again…” Nobuyuki snorts.

Yusuke and Nobuyuki start working with brewing the coffee and dying the veils. Nobuyuki is complaining to Yusuke almost the entire time they spend in kitchen, but Yusuke is efficiently filtering it out of his mind and concentrate only in dyeing the veils. Finally, when all the veils he had bought are dyed to different hues of coffee, they move to Yusuke's room and start to hang them around in layers.

“I think we need some lightning”, Nobuyuki says. Yusuke ignores him, but this time Nobuyuki has decided to be heard, “I said, we need some lightning!”

“I never use that kind of stuff”, Yusuke says, without looking at Nobuyuki.

“Fine, I’ll go to get my lighting equipment.”

“I said I don’t use those kind of things!” Yusuke turns towards Nobuyuki but he has already left.

After a while, Nobuyuki comes back, carrying bunch of his studio lights. He ignores Yusuke's arguments and starts to set up lights in different sides of the veils. He also blacks out Yusuke’s window so that the only light source is Nobuyuki’s lightning equipment. Yusuke stares at the appearing view in awe; he had never realized that you could create that kind of mist like, tranquil atmosphere with artificial lights.

“A lot better, don’t you think?” Nobuyuki says proudly.

“Well… I have to admit that this is surprisingly good”, Yusuke says hesitantly, “Can you now take the last veil and go stand there?”

Nobuyuki sighs, takes the veil, and moves to the center of the softly shimmering veils. Yusuke stares him and tries to think him as Futaba. At first it doesn’t seem to work, but Yusuke uses all his memories and visions of Futaba, trying to recall the tranquil moment at the beach that he had observed just a couple of days ago. And slowly, Yusuke stops seeing his room, and Nobuyuki in middle of it, and sees Futaba. Futaba peacefully standing there on the shore, looking at the setting sun. Futaba turning towards him and telling him to stop wasting time. Yusuke smiles in his thoughts and strokes appear on canvas without him really noticing it at all.

“It’s finished”, Yusuke says, smiling slightly.

“Finally! I was thinking that you were going to continue this damn thing forever”, Nobuyuki sighs, “Honestly, how on earth do you get anything done when you work this slow?”

Yusuke ignores Nobuyuki and stares at his painting. He feels that he has captured Futaba in it, but still he feels hesitant. Futaba had been so angry at him, that he wasn’t sure if the second chance existed. Maybe he should just go and buy her curry. That could be a more efficient way to make her happy, rather than this painting.

“Ooh, it’s pretty!” Nobuyuki says surprised, “I didn’t know that you could do something like this, let alone that you had such a beautiful friend!”

Yusuke glances at Nobuyuki, a bit annoyed. Nobuyuki was obviously paying attention to totally irrelevant things. No wonder his works never succeeded.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was edited by Fumei

“Futaba”, Sojiro knocks on her door, “Futaba, you've got a letter.”

Futaba opens the door and looks at Sojiro puzzled. She'd never gotten any letters, as her friends always sent messages. Sojiro hands the letter to her and Futaba stares the envelope nervously.

“I think you should open it”, Sojiro says gently.

Futaba rips the envelope open and spreads the folded paper in front of her. It’s a bluish colored invitation, with some starry ornaments.

“It’s an invitation to Inari’s exhibition”, Futaba says flatly and drops the paper on the floor. She walks back to her computer.

“Futaba, I know that you and Kitagawa-kun had a fight, but you know, as well as I, that he didn’t mean anything bad. He just became self-obsessed with his artwork; but I can tell you that artwork you were fighting about is not going to be in the exhibition”, Sojiro says trying to be gentle and firm at the same time.

“How do you know that?”

“Well, that painting is still at Leblanc so it can’t be in the exhibition.”

“You mean Inari left that painting behind?” Futaba turns around staring at Sojiro, atonished.

“Yes, Kitagawa-kun and I talked about that painting, and in the end he decided to paint a new one. I’m sure it will be a lot better.”

Futaba stares at Sojiro silently. She turns again to her computer and is pretending to be working with something, but actually she is just thinking of what kind of painting Yusuke had created this time. Could it be better than that horrible thing he had brought last time, or would it be even worse?

“Futaba, you will regret it if you don’t go to see it”, Sojiro says before leaving Futaba alone.

Futaba stares her computer screen blankly for a moment, then picks up her phone. There is now almost one hundred missed calls and almost two hundred unread messages. Majority of them are from Yusuke, but some are also from other Phantom thieves. It seems that Yusuke had posted an invitation to his exhibition to their Phantom thieves group too. Everyone else seems to be excited, and they seem to all be coming. Futaba feels how coldness rises up in her body. Somehow she is curious to see what the other Phantom thieves will think about the paintings but at the same time she is terrified.

She goes throught all of the messages and answers to those that seem to require a response. Otherwise she just posts out notes that she had been exiled to her gameworlds for a while and that was why she was unavailable. People were used to that anyway so she knows that she doesn’t need to explain anything. Yusuke is the only one to whom she doesn’t write any answer. Mainly because she doesn’t know what to think or write to him anymore. It feels as if something between them is still broken. Futaba also knows that for Yusuke, she should write more explanation than to the others. Yusuke knew too much of what had happened. She also knows that Yusuke is expecting some kind of response to his invitation.

She turns around and walks to the door where Yusuke’s invitation is still laying on the floor. Futaba picks it up and re-reads it:

“I invite you, my dear inspiration, to see my exhibition portraying three of my most beautiful art pieces. Name of the series is ‘Memories from stars and oceans’ and the opening evening will be this Saturday. I’ll be eternally indebted to you, yours, Yusuke Kitagawa.”

Futaba sighs. It’s so like Yusuke to send out something kind of flashy and disturbing at the same time, but she has to admit that the paper he had designed for her letter is beautiful and somehow calming.

“It may be horrible, but Sojiro is right; I would regret it if I don't go see it”, Futaba mumbles and sends Yusuke a message.

* * *

 

Yusuke has been staring at his phone all morning. His invitation should have reached Futaba that day. After finishing his final artwork and sending out that invitation to Futaba, he has been feeling extremely nervous, and at the same time, strangely calm. As Futaba had ignored all of his messages, he had come to the conclusion, that the only way to reach her was by sending a physical invitation.

Yusuke’s phone screen flashes and the name Futaba appears on it. So this is the moment of truth, Yusuke thinks and taps the message open.

“Hallo Inari, I’ll be coming to your exhibition. Don’t want to make you cry.”

Yusuke stares the message and feels how a smile rises on his face. He had gotten the second chance. Now he only had to wish that Futaba would like his last art piece.

“Well hallo to you, some one has finally got up from her bed? Good to know that you are still alive”, Yusuke answers to Futaba's message.

“Nah, wasn’t sleeping”, Futaba’s answer arrives almost immediately.

“So you have just desperately been avoiding me. That hurts.”

“>:|”

Yusuke sees that Futaba drops out of the coversation, but at least they were back to talking terms.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter was edited by Fumei

Futaba arrives to the exhibition at the opening time. She wishes that no one else had arrived yet so that she could escape if it feels too horrible. The exhibition hall seems empty, now she only needs to find Yusuke’s artwork.

“If you are searching for my works they are in the opposite direction”, a familiar voice says behind her.

Futaba turns around and sees Yusuke’s surprisingly calm face. She had thought that Yusuke would be more nervous on the opening of his exhibition.

“You came quite early. I didn’t think you would ever wake up at this time.”

“Umh… I just happened to get up early today”, Futaba mumbles, “So where is the artwork that you're so proud of?”

Yusuke chuckles, and leads Futaba to the next room. The room feels dark somehow, but it has dim lighting that is directed on the three artworks in the different sides of the room. One on the left, one on the right and one in the middle.

“There isn’t anyone else's works in this room?” Futaba says, surprised.

“I won the best artwork series competition so I got my own exhibition room”, Yusuke says proudly, “And my roommate kindly helped me with the lighting set up.”

“You and your roommate have to be pretty close”, Futaba says while admiring the lighting in the room.

“Well, kind of...” Yusuke answers, thinking of the amount of quarrelling and complaining, that had been going on the whole time he had been setting up this room with Nobuyki. He was still somehow surprised that they had finished it before the opening day.

Futaba walks around the room observing how the light falls on the different sides of the room. She knows that she is avoiding the paintings but she can’t look at them just yet. Of course, the two first ones she's seen already, but in this environment it felt different somehow. Besides, she knew that if she looked at the others she would end up looking at the last one too.

“Aren’t you going to look at the paintings at all? I know that Ishikawa-kun’s lighting skills are surprisingly good but this is my exhibition in the end”, Yusuke says behind her.

Futaba turns hesitantly, her eyes on the paintings. On the left is the first painting that she called The Mermaid Queen. On the right is the second painting that she called The Veiled Starlight. And in the middle was the final painting. Futaba stares at the painting in awe.

In the painting there is character surrounded by glimmering veils that somehow bring Sojiro’s coffee in her mind. The character’s hair is blazing in the colors of the sun set and her veiled body seems confident but fragile at the same time and she has a very Futaba-like half smile on her face, as if she was almost smiling but not actually. In her hair there are seashells and around her on the shimmering veils there is misty starlight all around.

“It’s beautiful”, Futaba whispers. She hadn’t expected anything like this. Somehow, even if she hadn’t been there when Yusuke painted this artwork, it felt like her. She could see her own fears on that smile but at the same time she could feel her lately found blooming confidence in this character too, but at the same time it showed that she was still very fragile and could be easily broken.

Yusuke is relieved. He had been worried about this moment since the painting was finished. He had never before been so nervous about showing his painting to someone, but in the end it had turned out alright. Suddenly he hears someone sobbing and realizes that Futaba had started to cry.

“Futaba, what is wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just… I’m just so happy.”

“What?”

“You did it Inari! You succeeded to really overcome yourself!” Futaba says turning to Yusuke broad smile on her face even if she is still sobbing.

“Hey, is that Futaba on those paintings?” A surprised girl’s voice says behind them.

“Yeah, I bet it’s her but how has Yusuke managed to get her to pose for him, when it was such a trouble with Ann, who is actually model?” Comments a confused boy.

“I heard from Sojiro that those two were up to something but I never suspected something like this”, another voice joins the conversation.

“Well, they are both full of surprises, and they have always gotten along very well”, a happy girl's voice points out.

“Yes, in theory you could say that, but in the end I’m surprised they got something like this finished, as they usually spend so much time debating”, an analytical girl's voice points out.

“Pfft… I can’t see anything! Can I come out from this bag already?” A muffled voice complains.

Futaba and Yusuke turn around and see the other Phantom thieves, who have just stepped into the room and are all staring around in different stages of surprise. The only exception is Haru, who just seems to be thinking that this was a natural end result of Futaba’s and Yusuke’s teamwork.

“And there are the celebrities themselves!” Ryuji shouts out, “I could have never imagined you two would do something like this! And you succeeded to do this out of Futaba? Wouldn’t Ann have been an easier model?”

“You mean I’m not capable of modelling?!” Futaba shouts and almost slaps Ryuji, but Ren prevents her.

“Futaba, he is just surprised. We all are”, Ren says, patting Futaba on the head.

“Oooh, this is pretty impressive!” Morgana says as he is stretching his neck out from Ren’s bag.

“Here, I bought you some chocolate to celebrate the opening event”, Ann says and hugs both Yusuke and Futaba, after giving them both expensive looking chocolate.

“I’m surprised you managed to bring those here without eating them”, Ryuji says, laughing.

“You moron!”Ann snaps at Ryuji.

“Here, I also brought you something”, Makoto says giving them both notebooks, “To help you in your future works.”

“And here are some vegetables I thought you'd like Futaba, and some coffee beans for Yusuke”, Haru says.

“And what would an opening event be without flowers?” Says Ren smiling, and gives them both small flower arrangements he had made after his part time job at the flower shop.

“Ah… hmm… I forgot to bring anything. Didn’t really think about that. Sorry”, Ryuji says apologetically.

“Hah, I knew it!” Ann says, “And you were one to suspect that I couldn’t bring my present.”

Futaba is surprised that everyone brought presents for her too. It was logical to bring them for Yusuke, as it was his exhibition, but Futaba hadn’t mentioned anything about this to anyone, except Sojiro.

“How did you know that I was part of this thing? Or did Sojiro tell you?” Futaba asks.

“Soijiro mentioned that you and Yusuke have been working together”, Ren says, “We didn’t really know that it would be something like this. I thought that you were helping Yusuke with some technical stuff for his exhibition. I never imagined you would be modelling for the paintings.”

“I didn’t really believe it myself either”, Futaba sighs and turns again, towards the paintings. It had been a long journey for her, for both of them, and it had had its troubles, but in the end Futaba was happy that she had participated in it. She glances at Yusuke and he smiles back at her. They had succeeded to create something that neither one of them ever expected; something no one had ever expected them to create.


End file.
